..:: Crystal Tears ::..
by ducky-doll
Summary: *Ch 4* Harry's disappearance after battling Voldemort leaves Hermione to question herself and her feelings. A sudden reappearance by him throws them into a relationship of twists and turns and ultimately true love. Harry/Hermione, please R/R!
1. Chapter One...

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"Crystal Tears"

* * * * *

****

__

You told me once,

I was a friend,

You told me once,

It'd never end.

Though I try to 

Keep you near,

I'll never stop

These Crystal Tears.

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* * *

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Chapter One... 

The smile on his face was bright and vivid. Tattooed in her memory where she'd never forget it. Never. Not as long as she could ever live. But it was all that she had left of him. There had once been a time when Hermione had led a life that contained no doubt as to what their futures would hold. Everything had been perfect. Of course at the time, nothing had seemed perfect, infact it seemed far from it... but now, now everything was a wreck. Life was chaos. It wasn't until now that she realised what she had had. Because as they say, you never know what you've got until it's gone.

That was a most accurate statement. Because now Harry Potter was gone and there was nothing she could do about it. For awhile she'd hung onto the hopes that he'd return and that her mind was simply playing tricks on her. She'd prayed every night to God or to the Great Wizards above. She'd thought about him every second of every day. She'd even tried sending him telepathic messages. But over the course of the year, those seconds she'd thought of him, turned to every other minute and after that she only thought of him once every hour or so. After that, the total of time she'd spend thinking about him dwindled down to once a day. That was where she was currently at. She was afraid one day she might wake up and realise she hadn't thought about him for a whole month. And maybe she'd forget him forever.

No. She wouldn't allow that to happen. Harry was too important.

There were doubts as to whether he was even alive now. Hermione could still not believe nor forgive Dumbledore for letting Harry go like that. He was too young to die. He had so much ahead of him. So much to live for. Too many people loved him and cared about him. Too many people like Hermione. Why had Dumbledore let him just walk on out? To go and fight the Dark Lord? That wasn't Harry's job! He couldn't spend his whole lifetime defending the magical world. It wasn't fair! It was just not fair!

Hermione dawdled along the Hogwarts corridor and down a staircase. She barely paid attention to anything these days. Her grades had dropped to an average which was something nobody would ever have thought possible. She could hear somebody calling her faintly in the distance but she didn't turn around to listen, she just kept on walking.

Her feelings constantly fluctuated. Sometimes she would feel angry at herself for caring about Harry, other times she'd blame Dumbledore for letting him go, most times she just hated Harry for being Harry. The way she saw it, if he hadn't been there, she couldn't have... she couldn't have... she couldn't have fallen in love with him in the first place.

"Hermione! For heaven's sake, stop walking!" It was the familiar voice of Ron Weasley and he leapt right in her path making her stop or at least slow down to walk around him.

"What is it?" she snapped in the monotonous tone that she'd become far too accustomed to lately.

"Hermione, stop acting like a zombie. Snap out of this stupid trance!" Ron waved his hands in her face like she was some sort of psychopath. 

"You don't understand," Hermione said quietly and managed to free herself from the strong grip he had on her shoulders and almost sprinting, disappeared out of his sight. 

It was their seventh year. Harry should have been Head Boy. But because he wasn't here and possibly not even alive, Draco Malfoy had taken that position. It disgusted Hermione to think that Harry's own arch-enemy was now seen as one of the most popular boys in the school. It hadn't even been a year since Harry's departure but no one seemed to think about him anymore. Only Hermione. Students had dwelled on things for a little while but seeing as there had been no sign of Voldemort nor Harry, they'd given up and gone on with their lives as if everything was just normal. 

Hermione reached a dead end of a corridor and had to lean against a wall, panting for breath. She vaguely looked around and realised she had never been in this corridor before. She didn't know where she was at all. How could she have suddenly become so disorientated?

The stone bricks against her back were cold and threatening and she quickly stood up straight, trying to shake off the feeling of sadness. Shivers ran down her spine and she went back in the direction she'd come in, running again, she didn't want to spend any more time alone in this eerie area of the castle.

She turned left where she was sure she'd come from but found the new corridor even scarier looking than the previous. The cold stone floors echoed every movement she made and the air was rapidly becoming cooler. After walking for a few more minutes, Hermione realised she was heading underground. She turned around again, this time feeling rather afraid. Panic began to set in and she spun around five times, like a lost puppy, and felt tears welling in her eyes. 

"Hello?" she tried calling out. Her calls echoed off the walls but nobody returned them.

"Help!" she cried louder, feeling one of her heavy textbooks fall out of her arms and land with a noisy thump on the floor.

After the echo of that had subsided, she could not hear a thing. Except silence. She'd never in her whole life felt so alone and been in so much silence and she realised that you actually could _hear _silence. She was trying to take it all in and think logically when there was a sudden dull thud from somewhere behind her. She jumped a little before shrinking over to the side of the corridor even though she was aware that standing slightly to the left wouldn't help her dramatically if someone or something was there. She crouched down and listened again. There was another dull thump, this time closer.

She wondered whether it was someone there to help her but for some reason, deep inside, she knew she shouldn't suddenly jump out. For some reason, she knew that whoever or whatever was there was not just a teacher or a student at Hogwarts. It was something else.

There were three more thuds, each time getting closer. Hermione's breathing became louder and louder and she was surprised whoever was there couldn't hear her heartbeat for it was racing so quickly.

Finally, after what seemed like ages, there was another thud but then it grew quieter and then disappeared. Whatever had been there was now gone. Breathing a sigh of relief, Hermione's heartbeat returned to a more healthy range and she slowly stood up, realising the corners of her textbooks were slightly damp from the sweat on her palms.

"Ms Granger?" a voice alarmed her and she squeaked in reaction.

"Are you okay?" It was Professor Dumbledore. Hermione had always has the most respect for their Headmaster... that was until... She eyed him suspiciously and he shook his head. "You shouldn't be here."

Hermione nodded slowly. "I got lost," she admitted under her breath.

"Well if you'll follow me, I'll make sure you get 'un-lost'." Hesitantly Hermione followed the elderly man back and felt the air become more friendly and inviting. She hadn't wanted to follow him but she would have followed a Dementor if it meant she could escape from wherever she'd been. Once they'd reached a part of the school Hermione was familiar with, she opened her mouth to ask where exactly they'd been. She began to talk when she looked around and saw Dumbledore was nowhere to be seen.

"Figures," she muttered before heading off to class which she'd already missed at least half of. But she didn't care. Classes were the last thing on her mind.

* * * * *

All heads snapped in Hermione's direction as she quietly slid into the classroom and sat down at one of the back desks.

"Sorry I'm late," she apologised quickly before opening up her books and trying to look like she was paying attention. 

"Where were you?" asked Ron on the way out of the Arithmancy lesson. 

"None of your business," she replied, walking faster to get away from him. As much as she liked Ron and found his company most delightful, everytime she saw him she was reminded of Harry and that memory was far too painful for her to have to relive all the time. Of course she couldn't explain the way she felt to Ron... he would never have been able to understand. She on the other hand would never be able to understand how one could move on so easily. Half the time Ron acted as if Harry was just in the dormitory getting ready or in the common room reading a book. 

"Hermione, wait!" Ron called hopelessly from behind her. Sighing, he turned around and headed back to the Gryffindor Tower. He missed the real Hermione. The Hermione who was there right now wasn't the real one, she was just some imposter. Inside he hoped that one day, when Harry returned, so would Hermione.

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Disclaimer: I've never written a disclaimer before but now seems like a good time to start. As you would know, none of JK Rowling's superb characters and creations belong to me (unfortunately) BUT the poem at the start of each chapter does! BWAHAHAHA!

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Author's Note: So what do you think? I was in the mood to write something Harry/Hermione-ish because I haven't written any for sooo long! It's sort of angst-y isn't it? Oh well, something this depressing is something I haven't tackled for awhile and while I try and figure out some stuff for my 'Hermerella' story I thought I'd give this a go. So if you could, leave me a review and tell me what you think so far! The next chapter should be up pretty soon! Thanks heaps!


	2. Chapter Two...

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"Crystal Tears"

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I must let go,

Of what is gone,

To say goodbye

and then move on.

Though I try,

To keep you here,

I just can't stop,

These crystal tears.

* * *

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Chapter Two...

Days went by and Hermione moved from class to class in a in a rythmic pattern. Deep inside she was almost afraid that if she really let out all those feelings she'd been trying to bury then she'd never be able to get back on her feet and keep moving on. Not that she was moving on in the state she was in. She was just standing still and she hated watching the people surrounding her progress in their lives as she viewed them like a spectator in a fast paced Quidditch match. Waiting and praying that one day it may be her turn to chase that Golden Snitch.

But there was no such luck yet. 

Everyone around her could sense Hermione's ever growing aura of failure. She even overheard the other girls in her dormitory whispering about that 'Ghost of Hermione' but she didn't care. She barely blinked twice. Who cared what Lavender or Parvati thought? As far as Hermione cared, they were just insensitive gits who hadn't cared when Harry had disappeared.

"She is a weirdo," she overhead Lavender say one night.

"I know, like a full on freak!" added Parvati before hushing her voice so Hermione wouldn't hear. "I'd hate to be her, everyone's always talking about her," she added, a couple of octaves lower.

Hermione rolled her eyes and leant over the side of her bed. She rummaged through a calico book bag lying on the floor, searching for that book she'd borrowed from the library. 

Angry that she couldn't find it, she heaved the massive thing on top of the bed and dumped the entire contents out.

She froze.

Sitting neatly on top of the pile of books was 'Romeo and Juliet', a muggle play she'd loved reading and had read at least a hundred times.

The significance of the play however was that one time when extremely bored, she and Harry had mucked around in the common room and had read the parts of the character outloud for an amused Gryffindor audience. They'd recieved much applause and Hermione treasured the memory fondly in the back of her head. This was the second time Hermione had seen the book since Harry had left and the strange thing was that the first time had been when she'd thrown it out of the window in rage, hoping that she'd never have to see it again.

But there it was. Looking brand new. 

She checked to make sure it was the same copy. Sure enough it was. It had her scrawly handwritten name across the top right hand corner of the second page in. _Hermione Granger, Gryffindor_. She stared at her own name blankly, for a moment there she'd forgotten who she was.

But the question remained? How did it get back in her book bag? She certainly hadn't put it there, and no one else in the dormitory had known she'd even thrown it away let alone gone to the trouble of going all the way downstairs to retrieve it for her.

She frowned slightly, deep in thought, before shrugging, putting it down to her sheer lack of observation in the last few months and opened up another book, setting Romeo and Juliet on her bedside table and putting it out of her mind for awhile.

* * * * *

Ron stared at himself in the mirror and looked to where Harry would normally be standing. They used to brush their teeth together every morning and evening and though he tried not to let it on too much, he missed Harry more than anyone could know.

He had to admit, he didn't have many friends. Hermione was still a sort of friend but because of her weird, spaced out sort of moods lately, Ron'd spent a lot of time by himself, reflecting on things that had never really crossed his mind before- like why chocolate frogs come in milk chocolate but not in white, and why Zonko's never have any sickles in their cash register- you always end up with heaps and heaps of knuts as change.

He gloomily rested the toothbrush back in the jar and turned around.

He gasped.

He clamped a hand over his mouth.

He had to hold onto a towel rail to steady himself.

There, sitting on the laundry basket was a pair of glasses.

Harry's glasses.

* * * * *

"Hermione! Hermione!" called Ron, chasing after her bushy hair in the corridor. "Hermione, please wait!"

He nearly tripped over a couple of first year girls before crashing right into the back of Hermione.

"Ron!" she exclaimed, picking up the dropped books. "What on earth do you think you're..." her voice trailed off. She stared at the glasses in Ron's hand- now broken again because of Ron's fall.

He looked hopelessly at her, half expecting her to that spell she'd done in their first year to fix them. But she didn't.

"Ron, I can't believe you'd do such a thing as to show these to me..." she whispered, completely mortified. Hermione threw a last nasty glance at Ron before turning and running off, faster than ever before.

"Hermione! Wait!" Ron watched desperately, mentally slapping himself for making such a foolish mistake. Of course he shouldn't have just shown her the glasses, she would just think he'd found them in Harry's belongings. Infact, that's just what she had thought. He shoved the glasses in his robes pocket and headed off to class, head down and feet dragging. Where could they have possibly come from?

* * * * *

They didn't speak to each other for at least three days after that incident. Everytime Ron came within fifty feet of Hermione, she just made up some feeble excuse to leave or move away where he couldn't confront her. One time she even bravely stood next to Professor Snape knowing full well that Ron wouldn't come near her then. She had remained by his side for the next twenty minutes until he took 5 points off Gryffindor for being a nuisance.

Ron finally caught up with her in the library where she was carefully tearing through the pages of a Jane Austen novel.

"Hermione..." Ron approached her carefully and slowly, so he wouldn't frighten her.

Hermione looked left and then right- she was right in between shelves of books- there was definitely no escape now. "Shouldn't have cornered myself in..." she muttered under her breath.

"Hermione?" he asked again, closer this time.

"What?" she snapped, trying to look bored.

"The other day... I'm sorry," said Ron. "Really, I didn't mean to upset you... it's just... well, Harry's... Harry's glasses. I found them sitting on the laundry basket in the bathroom."

"That's really interesting," Hermione sarcastically retorted. "But I'd really rather not know," she tried pushing past him but Ron had a strong grip on her shoulder. 

"Please, just hear me out."

Hermione sighed, looked at her watch and decided to give him a few minutes. "And?" she tapped her foot impatiently on the carpet. She didn't want Ron to think she was interested in what he had to say though she desperately was and was pretty much hanging off his every word.

"Well the thing is, I didn't put the glasses there. No one else did. They just... just ended up there somehow," Ron finished.

"Really?" Hermione asked curiously, a little too quickly. "I mean," she cleared her throat and put on a different tone. "Really. Well, that's fascinating Ron, but... but..." her mind went back to Romeo and Juliet.

"Is there something wrong?" asked Ron, loosening his grip on her numb shoulder.

"No, no, not at all," she replied, waving him off.

"Hermione... you're still a terrible liar. What is it?"

"Nothing!" she protested. But Ron wasn't going to give up without a fight. 

"TELL ME!" he yelled. The already quiet library went completely silent. They both looked around guilitily knowing that the librarian was going to come storming up to them any second now. Ron grabbed Hermione again and pulled her into a different section of the library- the restricted section.

"Now tell me," he said more softly. "What do you know?"

"Romeo and Juliet," replied Hermione in a whisper and she began to tell him what had happened.


	3. Chapter Three...

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"Crystal Tears"

* * * * *

__

Time fades away,

There's nothing there,

Where you once were,

Is now just bare.

Though I try to,

Fight the fears,

Nothing can stop,

These crystal tears.

* * *

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Chapter Three...

They both stared at the copy of Romeo and Juliet which was sitting idle on Hermione's bed. Ron picked it up like it was a delicate feather and handled it lightly, skimming over each corner of the book and randomly flicking through pages. He did this for a few minutes before Hermione cracked.

"What on earth are you actually DOING?" she asked, grabbing it back off him.

"Just looking at it," he snapped, grabbing it back. He began to look through it again for another ten minutes before Hermione noticed a tear slide down his cheek.

For a slight moment, the old caring Hermione resurfaced and she held his shoulder. "Ron?" she asked quietly. "Are you okay?"

"No," he sniffed, pulling a red and gold hankerchief from his pocket and then proceeding to blow his nose very loudly, like an elephant.  
  
"What's the matter?" asked Hermione, trying to be sensitive but not let Ron and his gooey nose get anywhere near her.

"It's such a beautiful play..." he murmured, fondly continuing to read.

"RON!" scowled Hermione realising Ron was crying over the story and not the significance of the book. She grabbed it off him again and considered slapping him, only her hate for violence stopping her from doing just that.

After both had calmed down a bit and regained composure they sat and thought about what they should do about both the glasses and the book. Well at least they THOUGHT each other were thinking about what they should do. In reality, Hermione was wondering about Harry again and Ron was thinking about how this was the first time the usually inseperable trio- sorry, pair, were actually talking.

"So what do you think we should do?" Ron said, breaking the silence.

"I don't know," replied Hermione crossly. "Why should I have the answers to everything?"

Ron shook his hand and being serious for once frowned. "Herm, come on, you know I didn't mean it like that."

Hermione smiled slightly. "Yeah," she replied- dragging out her vocabulary for the first time in what seemed like forever. "Yeah, I know. Sorry," she added. Quickly, changing her mood and tone of voice though so Ron didn't think she was going all soft, she continued. "Well there isn't really anything we CAN do is there? I mean, we don't know anything about Harry for sure so therefore we can't make any moves. What if this is somebody's idea of a very sick joke?"

__

But what if it isn't, she said silently in her head. No matter how illogical this whole scenario seemed, Hermione couldn't help but feel a glimmer of hope arising inside. She tried desperately to push away these thoughts but they remained- what if Harry was alive? What if it was HIM who'd been back in the castle? It would make sense wouldn't it?

Feeling a sudden urge of anger from being mad at herself, Hermione threw the copy of the book against the wall. Standing up, she yelled, "It can't be him! IT CAN'T BE!" throwing Ron completely out.

"Herms, calm down," he tried soothing her.

"Calm down? I will not _calm_ down!"

"Whoa," muttered Ron, backing away to the door. As much as he wanted to be there for Hermione he honestly thought it was better she was left alone- particularly in her mood swings. _Must be lack of sleep,_ he thought.

"Uh Herms, I'm going to go now."

"Don't call me HERMS!"

"Uh okay, sorry. Hermione, hope you feel uh... better soon. Talk to me if you want, you know you can!" He closed the door softly behind him.

Hermione ran into the bathroom and looked at herself in the mirror. All of a sudden she hated who she was and who she was becoming.

"I hate you Dumbledore," she yelled, running her fingers down her tear stained cheeks.

"Now, now petal, that isn't a very nice thing to say," replied the mirror.

"I hate you mirror!" Hermione cried, throwing the nearest object at it (which happened to be 'Zonko's Best Ever Teeth Improver'), causing a rather large crack to appear.

"Ouch," said the mirror and shut up.

"I hate you Ron!" she added, banging her fists loudly on it.

"I hate you HARRY!" she let out in the loudest cry of them all.

"I hate you Hermione," she added in a sob before falling to the ground in a heap, clutching her knees around her chest and crying her heart out.

* * * * *

Hermione refused to leave the bathroom for two days and Dumbledore had to personally put a spell on her to get her to move. There was a crowd of mainly worried though a few amused looking Gryffindors waiting around outside for her. Dumbledore made them all stay back as he walked her to the Infirmary, having to hold her full body weight seeing as she was weak from not eating.

"Hermione! You all right?" called one person.

"Yo Granger! Get better!"

"Hey Beaver teeth- hope you feel better soon!"

"Hermione, don't stress out- you're a cool person, I guess."

Hermione ignored all these... encouraging... comments and tried to make herself as heavy as possible in hope that Dumbledore would collapse under her weight. But unfortunately for her, Dumbledore's strengths were far beyond just the mind and they made it to the Infirmary- Hermione more breathless than her headmaster.

Madam Pomfrey tutted over Hermione and forced her to lie still on a hospital bed. Hermione hated being fussed over but was so tired and drained that she couldn't be bothered fighting and just lay there awkwardly, while the nurse made a big deal over her.

"Undernourished..." she heard her say. "Too skinny..." "Very cold..." "The start of the flu..." 

All of a sudden Hermione blacked out and didn't wake up for another five hours.

* * * * *

When she finally did awake, the first thing she saw was a bright bunch of colourful wild flowers, arranged neatly in a glass vase. Even she couldn't help but smile at this beautiful selection and leaned over to touch the soft silk petals of an iris.

"They're quite extraordinary aren't they?" Madam Pomfrey smiled, appearing miraculously at her side. 

Hermione nodded. "Who are they from?" she asked curiously.

"I'm not terribly sure," replied Madam Pomfrey, frowning slightly. "They weren't here when I checked on you this morning but when I got back, there they were... I can't believe I didn't see the person come in."

Hermione also frowned. "Was there a card?"

"Yes I believe so," she carefully undid the ribbon from around a tiny gift card and handed it to Hermione to read.

She admired the flowers on the front of the card first, they were identical to the ones in the vase but they were slightly swaying in 'the breeze'. She opened it up and gasped.

__

Dearest Hermione,  
Wishing you well and thinking of you.  
--H

"Is there something wrong?" asked Madam Pomfrey, concerned at her patient who had just turned a ghastly shade of white.

"No," choked Hermione, trying to look normal. _H? It had to be him, _her mind tried processing a thousand mixed thoughts at once. "It's nothing... really," she assured her.

"Okay," she agreed hesitantly. "Well you need some more rest- I'll be back to check on you in a few hours. Have a good nap." Madam Pomfrey closed the curtain behind her as her footsteps faded away down the infirmary.

Rest? How could she rest in a time like this? Instead of napping, Hermione lay wide awake on her back, thinking and thinking. H... Harry... what was going on? She _needed_ to know, and soon!

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Author's Note: Short chapter I know- really sorry guys. Thanks for the sweet reviews though people- I appreciate them very much! Sorry I haven't been bringing out my chapters sooner- I'm writing them in all the spare time I have, which sadly, isn't very much right now. I'm also suffering from the dreaded flu and looking at a computer screen doesn't really do a whole lot of good for the dizziness and headaches. I hope to be back online soon though and the next chapter shouldn't take too long to write so keep an eye out for it. Thanks again for being so patient and thanks again for the reviews- they really do cheer one up!


	4. Chapter Four...

** **

"Crystal Tears"

__ ****

* * * * *

__

You've been too far,

You've been away,

I need you close,

Need you today.

Though I try to,

Hold you here,

Time won't heal,

These crystal tears.

* * *

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Chapter Four...

It wasn't long until Hermione was allowed to get up and about. Though she was allowed to move around the castle for a while she wasn't yet allowed to join back in her classes which drove her absolutely insance with frustration. 

She had since told Ron of the flowers and they had decided there was nothing they could do besides wait. If Harry was going to make a surprise appearance anytime soon all they could do was hope and pray that he would be okay. Hermione tried telling Ron that that was what she had been doing for the last months of her life so far but he didn't listen. The advice he gave however did make sense to her and she realised that though Ron might appear to be insensitive, he was wise. 

So they waited.

They waited days.

They waited weeks.

Hermione was allowed out of the infirmary.

They kept waiting.

But nothing happened.

No more shocking findings in their dormitories. No more books, glasses, flowers or notes. Nothing. The fact that they had nothing to ponder on made them even more frustrated and particularly made Hermione worry. What if something had happened? What if Harry had been caught again and hurt? What if... what if he was dead?

"Don't be silly," Ron told her one day as they were leaving a Potions class. "Nothing has happened to him. I don't think," he added.

"Ron!" scowled Hermione. "Something has. I bet something has. We haven't heard from him for days!"

A horrible thought hit Ron like a brick wall. "Hermione, what if it never was Harry? What if it was Malfoy or someone equally as evil? Just setting out to make us look like fools?"

"Like that hasn't crossed my mind before Ron," Hermione sighed.

"Sorry," said Ron not sounding the faintest bit sorry.

They continued walking in silence. _At least she's not so closed off anymore,_ thought Ron as they entered their common room. _At least that's one good thing to have of this. _

Just as Hermione was about to open her mouth to comment on how untidy Ron looked that day, she paused. The entire common room was empty of all students. Except one.

"Harry!" cried Hermione, dropping her books on her feet. "Ouch," she added in a whisper.

"Harry!" screamed Ron, not knowing how to act.

Hermione had played over and over again in her head what she would do if she were ever to see Harry again. She had planned the way she'd look, what she'd say, what he'd say, what they'd do and everything but now that they were placed in the situation she forgot everything and just stood there dumbfounded.

Nobody moved.

"Hi guys," Harry said casually after a moment.

"Harry!" Ron and Hermione snapped out of their trance and ran towards him, forgetting all about past differences and embraced him in a huge, huge hug. Harry was crying with joy and Hermione could feel tears soaking through onto her shoulder in big wet patches.

It wasn't until they pulled away from each other that Hermione noticed just how tired and fragile Harry looked. She almost wished she hadn't hugged him so tight because now he looked like he might just break in half any second. Harry felt that way too. It had been a long time since he'd eaten a proper meal or washed or taken care of himself. But now, seeing his wonderful friend Ron and his beautiful friend Hermione, he was glad he had trekked his way through London to find them again.

There were so many questions racing through all of their heads but none of them seemed important enough to ask first. Ron opened his mouth to say something a number of times but then his voice box just seemed to fail and he closed it again. They all just looked at each other again, smiled and hugged.

"Harry, I thought you were dead," Hermione cried, taking his and Ron's hands and leading them in front of the fire place to warm up.

"I know," said Harry glumly. His hair was matted, his eyes tired with dark circles around them, his skin dirty and dry and his lips looked cracked and uncomfortable. It took all the will power Hermione had not to reach out and touch them. "I'm so sorry guys," he cried, not even bothering trying to hold back the many tears that fell from his face. "I'm so sorry..."

"Hey, hey," Ron said calmly, patting him stiffly on the shoulder. "No need to be sorry, old friend," he said cheerily. Hermione was envious of how calm he looked.

"Harry," she said, feeling stupid and not knowing what to do. "I missed you."

"I missed you too," he replied. 

"Where on earth have you been?" Hermione blurted out. "I mean, what happened? Tell us everything! I demand you inform us!" The old bossy Hermione was slowly creeping back in.

"Wait," said Ron, shushing her up. "Harry is there anything we can do to make you comfortable?" Surprisingly, it was he that was being motherly. "Does Dumbledore know you're here?"

"No," said Harry shaking his head.

"Does it matter?" snapped Hermione. "After all, he was the one who put Harry in this situation after all!" 

"No, no Hermione," Harry said. "It wasn't. I had a feeling you were holding him responsible. Ever since I saw the argument you had with him a couple of months ago."

"You saw it?" she gasped. "But... but..." Words were again failing her.

He nodded. She was about to ask him more but he frowned. "Hey Herms," he said gently, placing a hand on her knee. "Would you mind if we didn't talk about it for now?"

She nodded doing her best to be understanding. If he wasn't ready to open up and have to go through everything he'd been through again with them then that was fine with her. She and Ron would just try and make things normal again for him and that would start with informing Dumbledore of what was going on. Ron offered to do that while Hermione ushered Harry up to the Girls' Dormitory. It wasn't the first time he'd been in there but Hermione wanted him to stay in there with her because nobody would annoy and pester him unlike the boys in their dormitory. She made him lie down on her bed and made herself one on the floor. He protested but she shut him up and insisted he was more comfortable.

Feeling exhausted but wanting to stay up talking Harry lay back on the soft cushions while Hermione left the room to bring him something delicious from the kitchens. She returned with a tray of delicacies and also, with Dumbledore and Ron by her side.

The headmaster did indeed look very anxious and surprised to see Harry and the first thing he said to him was, "It is an honour..." before he sat down and performed a quick spell on Harry which startled him at first but then he understood what it was.

Hermione and Ron held hands in the corner and watched from a distance. They couldn't make out everything that was being said between the two but they saw Harry and Dumbledore nod their heads, then shakes them, then nod again etc. Finally, Dumbledore stood up and smiled at Hermione and Ron.

"I think Mr. Potter is going to be just fine," he winked.

"Ohh," Hermione cried with relief and gave Ron a quick hug. Dumbledore left them then to talk to Harry and tell him everything that had happened since he had left. Every tiny, little, minute piece of gossip and every tiny, little, minute piece of information he needed (or most likely didn't need) to know.

By the end of the evening, the dormitory was silent. The other girls who shared it with Hermione had been told by Dumbledore what to expect when they went in and therefore sighed with happiness when they caught a glimpse of him before tip toe-ing around silently and going to bed themselves. Harry was sleeping soundly, too tired to even have nightmares, Hermione was sleeping with her head on the bed but her body on the floor and Ron was stretched out across the bed Hermione had meant to have on the floor. 

In the corner of the room was an empty tray where the food had been.

****

Author's Note: Sorry it has taken so long to get this chapter out. Been busy, busy, busy but then again, what's new? In the next chapter you should all find out what happened to Harry and why he's back. Thank you for all the kind reviews and e-mails- they are very encouraging and motivate me to write these stories.

One last note: I am currently looking for global pen-pals! You see, I'm one of those people who love writing and recieving letters, especially if they're from places that I can only dream of going to (LoL Sarah- you know what I mean). So if you feel like writing to a 15-year-old chick from Melbourne, Australia, please e-mail me! ducky_doll@hotmail.com  
  
Thanks again people! Love ya!


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